Bonhams will offer a group of four medals awarded to Lord Nelson's personal surgeon, Sir George Magrath, as part of its March 27 auction of coins and medals.
 Magrath was dismayed at missing the Battle of Trafalgar, having been replaced by William Beatty |
The medals, awarded to Magrath for his work as inspector of hospitals and fleets for the Royal Navy, hold an estimated value of £9,000-12,000 ($13,543-18,058).
In February, the Naval General Service medal awarded to a soldier who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar sold for £13,500 ($20,558), spelling strong results for the present sale.
Horatio Nelson held Magrath in very high esteem, as demonstrated by his correspondence with mistress, Lady Hamilton, in which he writes regarding a soldier who had an olive stone in his eye: "The Surgeon of the Victory (George Magrath), who is by far the most able medical man I have ever seen and equally so as a Surgeon, (says) that, if it can be saved, he will do it."
Magrath had joined Nelson's famous HMS Victory as the flag medical officer on July 31, 1803, having been personally selected by the great admiral himself. However, he would never get to see Nelson's finest hour at the Battle of Trafalgar, having been left to run the naval hospital in Gibraltar following an outbreak of yellow fever.
Magrath wrote that he had "had the additional mortification of not sharing in the glory of the Battle of Trafalgar, which would have infallibly led to promotion, which was conferred on the Surgeon who was appointed to act in my place in Victory". He is talking about William Beatty, who achieved fame for his actions during the battle.
The medal group contains Magrath's Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Military Division breast badge.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has one of the most outstanding holdings of Nelson memorabilia for sale, including the superb Trafalgar Collection, which contains some of the most intimate collectibles from this legendary battle.
